Palms to Pines Scenic Byway
This scenic driving tour climbs from the desert through the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains, before descending again to the desert.
- Photography
- Picnicking
- Wildlife viewing
Outdoors
Wildlife viewing and birding near Palm Desert
Refuges, lakes and wild areas near Palm Desert for wildlife viewing and birdwatching.
Good to know: Early mornings and evenings are best for wildlife; bring binoculars and keep a respectful distance.
Within 30 miles (12)
Santa Rosa Wilderness
The terrain within the Santa Rosa Mountains Wilderness is rugged with elevations rising dramatically from just above sea level to 7,000 feet.
- Camping
- Hiking
- History
- Horseback riding
- Hunting
- Photography
- Wilderness
- Wildlife viewing
Ryan Campground
Download the NPS app prior to visiting the park – trail maps and more! Ryan Campground lies amid the huge, steep rock formations for which Joshua Tree National Park is known.
- Camping
- Hiking
- Rock Climbing
- Scenic Drive
- Wildlife viewing
Boulder Basin
Black Mountain Road is is poor condition at this time. A four-wheel drive (4WD) vehicle is recommended with a minimum ground clearance of 6 inches. Drive at your own risk.
- Backpacking
- Biking
- Camping
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Horseback riding
- Mountain Biking
- Picnicking
Black Rock Campground
Download the NPS app prior to visiting the park – trail maps and more! Black Rock Campground lies among one of the thickest Joshua tree forests in Joshua Tree National Park.
- Camping
- Hiking
- Ranger programs
- Wildlife viewing
Black Rock Equestrian Campground
Download the NPS app prior to visiting the park – trail maps and more! Black Rock Horse Campground is strictly for campers planning to bring horses or mules .
- Camping
- Hiking
- Ranger programs
- Wildlife viewing
Mecca Hills Wilderness
The Mecca Hills Wilderness now contains a total of 26,242 acres and is managed by the BLM's Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office . All of the Wilderness is in the state of California.
- Camping
- Hiking
- Photography
- Picnicking
- Wilderness
- Wildlife viewing
Big Morongo Canyon Preserve
Big Morongo Canyon Preserve/ACEC is well recognized as an important wildlife corridor that links BLM's San Gorgonio Wilderness with the San Bernardino National Forest and Joshua Tree National Park.
- Hiking
- Horseback riding
- Ranger programs
- Wildlife viewing
Jumbo Rocks Campground
Download the NPS app prior to visiting the park – trail maps and more! Jumbo Rocks Campground lies amid the huge, steep rock formations for which Joshua Tree National Park is known.
- Camping
- Climbing
- Hiking
- Ranger programs
- Wildlife viewing
San Gorgonio Wilderness
This wilderness is part of the eastern slope of the San Bernardino Mountains with topography rapidly changing from low, rolling foothills and canyons to steep, rugged mountains. Elevations range from 2,300 to 5,500 feet.
- Camping
- Hiking
- Horseback riding
- Hunting
- Photography
- Wilderness
- Wildlife viewing
Sand to Snow National Monument
Remember your OUTDOOR ETHICS when enjoying your public lands. Please RECREATE RESPONSIBLY.
- Accessible Swimming
- Camping
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Horseback riding
- Photography
- Wildlife viewing
- Winter sports
Orocopia Mountains Wilderness
The western boundary of the Orocopia Mountains Wilderness is contiguous with the Mecca Hills Wilderness with the exception of the Meccacopia Jeep Trail, which bisects the two wilderness areas.
- Camping
- Hiking
- Horseback riding
- Hunting
- Photography
- Wilderness
- Wildlife viewing
30 to 75 miles (9)
Cottonwood Campground (Ca)
Download the NPS app prior to visiting the park – trail maps and more! Cottonwood Campground is one of the best places in Joshua Tree National Park for stargazing and wildflower viewing.
- Camping
- Hiking
- Ranger programs
- Wildlife viewing
Joshua Tree National Park
Two distinct desert ecosystems, the Mojave and the Colorado, come together in Joshua Tree National Park. A fascinating variety of plants and animals make their homes in a land sculpted by strong winds and occasional torrents of rain.
- Biking
- Camping
- Climbing
- Hiking
- Horse Camping
- Horseback riding
- Picnicking
- Wildlife viewing
Dos Palmas Preserve
This oasis with its hundreds of swaying fan palms offers sanctuary in the midst of the dry Colorado Desert. Pools fed by artesian springs and seepage from the nearby Coachella Canal form a lush wetland area.
- Hiking
- Photography
- Wildlife viewing
Bighorn Mountain Wilderness
The north-central portion of this Wilderness area holds the rugged Bighorn Mountains and the eastern foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains.
- Camping
- Hiking
- Horseback riding
- Hunting
- Nature education
- Photography
- Ranger programs
- Wildlife viewing
Bradshaw Trail Back Country Byway
The first road across Riverside County to the Colorado River was blazed by William Bradshaw in 1862 as an overland stage route.
- Camping
- History
- Horseback riding
- Hunting
- Off Road Vehicle Trails
- Off-highway vehicles
- Wildlife viewing
Fish Creek Mountains Wilderness
The Fish Creek Mountains Wilderness now contains a total of 21,388 acres and is managed by the Bureau of Land Management. All of the Wilderness is in the state of California.
- Camping
- Hiking
- Photography
- Wilderness
- Wildlife viewing
San Bernardino National Forest
- Biking
- Camping
- Climbing
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Horse Camping
- Horseback riding
- Hunting
Johnson Valley OHV Area
Click here for the latest information concerning upcoming military training and closures of the Shared Use Area. Overview Johnson Valley is a varied landscape for the off-highway vehicle driver.
- Biking
- Camping
- Hiking
- Horseback riding
- Hunting
- Photography
- Recreational Vehicles
- Wildlife viewing
Chuckwalla Mountains Wilderness
The Chuckwalla Mountains Wilderness now contains a total of 112,326 acres and is managed by the BLM's Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office . All of the Wilderness is in the state of California.
- Hiking
- Horseback riding
- Photography
- Wilderness
- Wildlife viewing
Distances are straight-line miles from downtown Palm Desert. Listings come from Recreation.gov’s federal recreation database; check each official page for hours, fees, fire restrictions and closures before you go.
More outdoors near Palm Desert
Questions
Where is the closest place for wildlife & birding near Palm Desert?
Palms to Pines Scenic Byway (Bureau of Land Management), about 4 miles southwest of Palm Desert as the crow flies. Next are Santa Rosa Wilderness (15 mi) and Ryan Campground (22 mi).
Who manages these places?
Federal agencies including Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, USDA Forest Service. Each listing links to its official page for hours, fees, closures and current conditions.